The Fall of the Vermilions
by Violet Fire
Summary: This is a really sic fanfiction-not for the sqeamish. Vixen is rebel leader Kou is assigned to work with 5years ago. This is her story, and what really happened to the rebel group against Mikado, the Vermilions. PLEaSE R&R THIS IS MY BEST ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Please remember Please remember I was there for you and you were there for me Please remember our time together Time was yours and mine when we were wild and free Please remember, please remember me -LeAnn Rhymes  
  
"Vixen?" Taking a pale hand in hers, Vixen kneels next to the bed. "Yes Daniella?" She asks softly. "I can't get up, sis. As much as I'd hate to do this, you have to do it alone, hon. Have you read the paper yet?" Vixen shakes her head. Daniella hands her the paper. Vixen almost snickers while reading it. Warehouse 14-60 Rebuilt On October 15 the fourth warehouse built by Mikado was bombed by the rebel group Vermilions. Master Mikado has ordered the reformation of Warehouse 13- 59. Today it opens and what employees are left return. The incident on October 15th left Warehouse 13-59 in ruins, taking 315 casualties and 503 injured. The Vermilion Resistance, led by the infamous Daniella and Vixen Reno, proudly takes full responsibility for the event, plus the bombings of Warehouses 12-48, 11-37 and 10-26. The Vermilions quote from flyer, "Want Master Mikado to surrender or die." The public is warned that the Vermilions are a dangerous group and not to pursue the situation. She rips apart the tabloid. "I'm supposed to-" She begins apprehensively. Daniella nods and rolls over, tucking her knees up to her stomach. "Good luck, sis. Show some guts, girl. Don't die on me." "Have either of you read the paper today?" Kou and Leann shake their heads. "No. Why?" Kou asks. Dominick opens it and points to a portion he highlighted. "The Vermilion Resistance proudly takes full responsibility for the event, plus the bombings of Warehouses 12-48, 11-37 and 10-26." "Why is that important?" Kou asks. "It shows how brilliant these women must be, to pull off such dangerous acts of terrorism. See, here is something they published on the streets." He pulls out a flyer. There is a picture of a great hawk, its wings spread and perching atop the shattered Mikado symbol. Blood drips from its wings and puddles below the fat portion of the symbol. The hawk's beak is open in a scream. Behind the twisted art is the word "Vermilions". "Look at all these insults to Mikado, threats handwritten, the Reno sisters even signed this." Leann comments. Various slurs are written over the poster. "I saw this at the station.' Kou adds. Dominick sighs. "We LUKIS are enemies of Mikado. Obviously so are the Vermilions, and these rebels are not amateurs." He clasps his hands. "They will be good allies in overthrowing the cooperation." He says flatly. "Sir, you can't be serious. These women, they are young and inexperienced-" Leann argues. "I understand that you actually have witnessed the bombing of Warehouse 13-59 and Warehouse 14-60 Leann but like I said before definitely they are not amateurs. We can train them in unarmed defense techniques if that is what you mean." He responds calmly. She begins to argue but gives up. "Leann, take a vacation for a month. You took up the two bombing assignments. Kou, you'll be an ambassador for LUKIS. This isn't an undercover mission. Tell them where you're from. Do what it takes to get them on our side. They will be at the new Warehouse to bomb it. Meet Vixen Reno there." "Pathetic blockheads." Vixen mumbles, prowling past two stoned MSF guards. "Hey!" One of them calls as she heads towards the heart of the Warehouse. "Tell Master Mikado he should have built this place differently, I still know it like the back of my hand, the numskull. Have you any shame working for him?" One of the guards takes out a com. Vixen kicks it out of his hand. "Now now babes, we can party with just three of us, hmm?" Vixen pounds the life out of all of them easily. "That was exhilarating." Vixen dusts her hands off and continues towards the center. "Not bad." She turns around and sets down her briefcase. "Man, you've got some nerve." She warns, raising her fists. "No. I'm on your side." Kou explains. Vixen glares at him. "Do I know you?" She asks. He shakes his head. "No. Just detonate the bomb." Vixen enters the shed and opens the briefcase. He follows her, watching her soak the ground with gasoline and set a laptop in the middle of the room. "It has to be a short timer but not so much that we can't get out." She explains. "Really? Is that so?" Both look up to ten guards. Vixen pauses the procedure. "Bring it on." She says defiantly. The two easily defeat the rookies, and the rebel goes back to the laptop once they do. Vixen completes the detonation. "Come on. We have five minutes exactly to get out of here." She hops a fence and runs into the city, Kou following her. A few minutes later there is a deafening boom, which shakes buildings and shatters windows. A huge flare lights up the darkened sky. Vixen laughs and slides down a wall. "Who are you?" She asks, shaking soot from her hair and wiping it off her face. "Kou Leifoh." He helps her up. "I'm an ambassador of LUKIS." She nods. "Oh? LUKIS doesn't usually send ambassadors, especially to a small resistance like Vermilions. What's up?" She ponders aloud. "We want Vermilions to join us against Mikado." Vixen laughs. "Us, and LUKIS? Sorry, this is something you'll have to ask Daniella, but all I can say for now is." She pauses. "Is what?" He asks. "Show me what you got." She says, twirling her hair. "Excuse me?" She raises her fists. "Oh you can't be serious." She nods. "Let's go." Although he didn't like fighting women, he beat up Vixen with no problems, if the woman was going to test him, he was going to pass the test. "Not bad. Not bad at all for a covert operator." Vixen compliments. "I guess I can take you to the base. Hey, if Daniella doesn't like you we can always shoot you in the head. Just kidding. Come on." She lifts a sewer lid and jumps down; sure to replace the lid once both are down. Here is damp asphalt over rushing water, which she leads him down, stopping in front of a wall. The bloody hawk is spray-painted on it. Vixen stops in front of it and pulls out a stone, revealing a laptop. She types several codes. "Jack, let me in." She says bitterly. A COM comes on. "That's no way to speak to Jacques, now is it luv? Password please." Vixen groans in frustration. "Let me in, Jack or I'll scream for Daniella, I'm serious." She argues. Jack laughs. "Feisty one, aren't you my pet? I can't let him in you know." Vixen takes in a deep breath. "JACK!" Someone screams. "What is it Kat, you could rip the bleeding walls off screaming like that!" Jack says, startled. "I'm surprised you heard me with those headphones on!" Kat argues. "Come in, Vix. I'll open the door instead of that jackass over here." Kat says calmly. The wall swings open. They step inside. Jack sits in front of a computer with heavy headphones on. Vixen slaps him on the head. "Hi Kat." She says pleasantly, ignoring Jack rubbing his skull. Her smile quickly melts to concern as Kat sits down. "How's Daniella doing? Is she well enough to negotiate?" She asks. Kat twirls a strand of glossy blue hair. "She's doing a lot better. Before you see her go see Kale. She's worried about you since the blast." Vixen nods and knocks on a door. There isn't an answer, so she walks in. A young woman, very attractive save eight earrings and one stud on her nose sits at a computer. "Kale?" Vixen asks. Kale looks up and runs over to her. "Oh Vixen I thought you didn't make it! Communications were blocked off." She explains. "Go see Daniella! She's probably willing to talk to you." She says, nodding at Kou. They leave the room. "That was Kale Simmons. She hacks through Mikado files daily, and does all the communication techniques outside the base." Vixen knocks on another door. "Daniella?" She calls and opens it. Another pretty girl sits on a chair with an icepack over her side. She had torn off the lower portion of her shirt, probably to reach the slash on her side. She is unwrapping the wound and scraping the tender flesh with her fingernails. The laceration is bleeding openly, she makes a weak attempt to dam the flow. "I told you to keep that covered." Vixen scolds. Daniella shrugs and lies back. "Oh, is this the LUKIS ambassador?" She asks. "Sorry. How attractive is this?" She jokes. Vixen frowns. "How did she-?" Kou asks, confused. "You think Kale hacks only through Mikado?" Vixen says impersonally. He shrugs. 'That's pretty bad. How'd you get it?" Daniella clenches her fists. "T-the bastard." She curses. "It was Warehouse 11-37, our second bombing. I went in to detonate the bomb, and Daniella stayed to check the first bomb. We were just escaping, at the basement in fact when Master Mikado. Now we were out of the bomb range so we figured we could brawl it out. It got ugly, we underestimated him. I can tell you, the man is strong. Even I can admit that. Daniella told me to wait by the window on the second floor, she'd work her way up there. She did, and was nearly walking dead when she made it. But then-" Vixen pauses in her explanation. "Then the bastard took out a six-foot long chain and took no time in ripping my sister's chest apart. There was blood everywhere. She couldn't move, so I did what I could. I lifted her up and jumped out the window." She finishes. Daniella scrapes her wound again. "I feel fine today. Hey Vix, if this is the ambassador, are you sure that he's educated in more than negotiations?" Vixen nods. "He can fight, if that is what you mean." He nods as well. Daniella gets up, pressing the bandage against her chest. "We are rebels. We are at stake of death every day. What we do might look reckless but in fact is planned very carefully. Our one motive is overthrow Mikado, no matter what cause. My question to LUKIS is can you handle the sweat and blood that we put into our mission?" Daniella asks, wincing. Kou pauses in thought. "I don't think I have the authority to answer that question on account of the entire cooperation, but I know I can." Daniella signals both leave. "Good. But if I see you faltering, there will be no other representatives. So if you screw up that means LUKIS screws up. Sorry, but I am going to bed. I don't feel well." She says and lies down. Vixen kneels next to her. "Daniella, do you want me to stay with you?" She asks. Daniella shakes her head weakly. "No. Find a room for him. You know what, split with yours. You room is oversized, right? That's why you're always complaining." Vixen turns around. "Come on then." She leads him down the hall and into a large room. She winces in pain. "What is it?" She falls back onto a bed. "There's a piece of glass in my thigh." She gasps. He pulls it out. "You're a doctor?" He nods. 'Yeah, but I'll need um, easier access to-" Wordlessly she strips out of her clothes. "Modesty isn't a part of that rebellious spirit of yours now is it?" Kou comments. She shrugs. "Modesty is for the Hurst family, or at least what it used to be, not a rebel group." She says bluntly. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asks defensively. "You know, the Hursts. The bluebloods who used to be so famous for their genius kids. Well one ran off, the other joined Mikado and is currently Dauragon's little slu- ow!" She screams in pain as he tightens a bandage around her leg. "Sorry." He apologizes too quickly. She stretches back. "Mmm, don't stop that. It feels good. You know what'll be even better? It's cold underground, we should sleep in the same bed. Oh yeah, it's warmer if you sleep nude." She says seductively, spreading her legs. He crosses the room. "Night Vixen. You should be fine, right?" She sighs. "Tightass." She grumbles. "Maybe you'll find out about that." He responds. Vixen rolls over to her side and pulls a pillow over her head. "Vixen?" She mumbles a response. He doesn't press her for an answer.  
  
"Don't move, or I'll-" Vixen shyly pulls a dagger away from Kou's neck. Blood taints the blade. "I'm sorry." She apologizes, cleaning the steel. "No, don't mind me." He says, pressuring the bloodspot. "Don't do that. I could've killed you." She warns, placing her knife back in a scabbard. "Well, Kale told me to wake you up." Vixen sits up and braids her hair. "Oh. Well, today is a fairly important mission." She explains, pulling her clothes on and combing through her cinnamon hair. "What are we doing?" He asks. "We can't just continue to blow up warehouses. It just isn't original. We have to quit screwing around and go for the big one." She says with a sense of doom. "You mean-?" He says, shocked. "Yes. We have to assassinate Master Mikado, and I have a great plan too." Vixen explains, handing him a flyer. BRIDES NEEDED Age: Between 20-24 Appearance: somewhat attractive "You have got to be joking, right?" He says apprehensively. "No I'm not. To be in charge of a cooperation like this one, you have to have some kind of successor in case you die. Well he apparently has no relatives, so the next best thing is-" She starts. "Marriage. It sounds like he doesn't want to do this. But I do get your plan." She grins. "Am I somewhat attractive? Because I know I fit into the age criteria, I'm 22." She asks. "Somewhat?" He asks, staring at her. "Thanks. Come on." She walks down the hall. "Morning Kale, Kat." She says and sits down. "I have a plan.' Vixen hands the flyer to everyone. "We were gonna give you the same exact thing." Kat says and hands Vixen a box. "Daniella ordered it to an abandoned house and picked it up." Vixen opens it and pulls out an elegant wedding gown and veil. The sleeves are long, as is the skirt. "The veil stays the same," Vixen comments, "but the sleeves have to be worked on a bit. Jack, scissors." Jack hands her the cutting tool but hesitantly. "Is this a good idea?" He asks Kat. She nods eagerly. "Let the queen work. Come on Jack, she's a master of seduction." Vixen holds up the new dress. The sleeves are now gone, but with thin strips off the shoulders. Vixen frowns. "I have to work a little more on the skirt but that's all." She cuts two high slits on the sides of the skit and shortens it to her knees, triangularly cut. "How does it look?" Se asks. "It would look even better with you in it." Jack offers. "Very well." She turns to her room. "I'll off to." His face lights up. "You mean you'll marry me if you weren't going to marry someone else right now? Booya!" She punches him in the gut. "Good luck, Vix. You're the only one with dark hair there too." Kat informs her. Gallantly she walks out the door. |  
  
"This is Diana Rodrigues." Wong says, gesturing to a woman in a short cocktail dress. She twirls a strand of natural blond hair. "Hi." She says, leaning against a wall. "Yes. Miss Rodrigues, what is your opinion of the schematics for the Galeos?" She does not answer. I should have put intelligent as well. He looks up and notices a redhead leaning against a fountain. 'Who is that?" He asks Wong. Wong shrugs. "Ask her.' He walks over to her. Vixen raises her eyebrows as he does so, and abandons her attention drawing position. "You are Master Mikado?" She asks, sounding bored. He nods in response. "And you?" Vixen shrugs. "Nobody." She replies, flexing her fingers. "What is your opinion of the schematics for the Galeos?" Stuck up blueblood "I feel that it is a great idea, and that the satellite plans were organized efficiently and put together extremely well." She responds. He looks impressed. "What is your name?" He repeats. "Nobody." She replies. "Well nobody shall we get this over with?" He asks. Not bad, not bad at all for five years out of practice. She shrugs and follows him to the altar. "What is your name, girl?" The priest asks. "Katrina Hoyden." She lies, but he notices it. He stares at her, in response to her last name. Laughing nervously, she tosses her hair. "Well, do you choose this woman as-" "Yes." He says before the priest can finish. "And you, do you choose this man as your lawful wedded husband, through sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" Sensible Vixen: Run, idiot, run. Stupid Vixen: No way1 I have to complete this- Sensible Vixen: Whatever. Do what you will. "Um.Yeah.sure.put it on me I guess.." She says hesitantly, twirling her hair along her finger. He continues to stare at her. "You may kiss the bride." The priest concludes. No one does anything, and the two leave the chapel.  
  
Vixen sits in front of a vanity mirror combing though her hair. Finally satisfied with how she looks, she gets up, sighs and walks over to Dauragon's side of the room. Sensible Vixen: Get out of here, now. You know that this is suicide. Stupid Vixen: Consider it a practice run before the real thing. Wearing barely anything, she lies down net to him, gently running her fingers through his hair and kisses him awake. "Kat-" She brings a finger to his mouth. "Do not speak. Relax." She tells him, stripping out of her clothes, and kisses him again, silently cringing while doing so. I am going to kill myself after this, eew! Every word that now comes out of my mouth is not true. She brings her hand down between his legs to the hardness growing there. He moans into her mouth as he kisses her harder, driving his tongue into her mouth. She does the same to him, and rakes her nails down his bare back. He moans into he mouth once again and brings his hand to Vixen's bare right breast. She pretends to groan in pleasure as her stomach clenches and she must try with all her might to hold back vomit. He begins stroking, slowing down and gradually nearing her nipple. As she moans "Oh god," she has her own 'oh god' moment. Oh god. Nipples not hard. He's gonna know I'm not aroused. Oh shit! Ok, ok great. Well, might as will admit it to myself now. Think. Kou. To her surprise, it works. That is the extent of how far it works, though. Dauragon just repulses her too much. Ok, it was far time to take control. She pulls away slightly, ignoring his groan of protest and begins to pull off his jeans, which had now become very tight. Throwing up was beginning to become a common topic for her mind. Vixen cups him, and he began to groan even more, the sounds becoming deeper as she went faster. Kou, Kou, Kou. She slowly moves down his body and puts his hardness in her mouth, pretending to moan in ecstasy, when in reality it is a groan of utmost disgust. Well, to make a long story short, she gives him the blow-job of his life. When he comes right into her mouth with a long scream, she actually feels the bile rising up in her throat. She swallows it down along with the semen. Oh god. I'm gonna need a psychiatrist, psychologist, and medication after this. So much for sex ever again. He collapses back into the bed, obviously exhausted. She forces a smile and whispers into his ear with the most teasing voice she can muster at the moment, knowing that her soul is now probably damned to hell now, which she welcomes at the moment. "Tomorrow, I expect the same treatment," She pauses a moment. He opens his mouth to say something, but she quickly shut it with her mouth. "Tomorrow." If she did not feel utterly disgusted with herself already, she did now. "My love." The young rebellion leader slowly gets up, grabs the few scattered articles of clothing that are over on his side of the bed and moves to the other side of the curtain that separates their two beds and slips into her own. She feels under her pillow and searches for the knife she left there while waiting for his breathing to become deep and even. Within a few minutes, it does. Well, here's one way to brighten up my day. Vixen picks up the knife and slowly sits up. She stands over him for a minute, hand poised to stab. "Lord forgive your sins." She whispers. "Wha-" He says groggily, but too late. She plunges the blade deep into his back, and mercilessly rips down. He clenches his teeth in pain but makes no other sign he is suffering. "Master Mikado?" A woman stands at the door. "I smelled blood. I heard some- oh god-" She runs forward and throws Vixen against the far wall. She collides to the edge of a dresser just above her hip. Wincing in pain she falls to the ground. The woman walks over and slams a lamp over her head. When she is not unconscious, she kicks her hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out. Once seeing she is temporarily immobile, she runs to Dauragon's side. "Master Mikado? What did she-? Oh I knew this was a bad idea." Vixen notices through blurred vision the knife is thrown across the room and embedded into the wall above her head. "Come. The wound must be dressed, or you'll bleed to death. Hey, I could use some help here!" Two guards enter the room and help carry him out as the women hastily wraps a sheet around his waist. "The lab." The woman says, and remains in the room. "W-wait," Dauragon says with his last bit of strength. "Tie. the bitch. up." Vixen's vision is still blurry. Can.tar.a She thinks somewhere in her mind as the woman pulls her up throws her onto the bed and binds her wrists to the posts with twine. Cantara tosses her hair, strikes Vixen in the stomach and leaves the room. The now very hurt Vixen gasp for breath as the room begins spinning. She lies back and blissfully loses consciousness.  
  
The first thing Vixen feels when she is viscously slapped awake is pain pounding through her head and an aching tailbone. She can barely distinguish the pain of the slap on her cheek from the overall pain of her head. "Did you think you would get away with it, Vixen, leader of the rebel group?" He viciously grabs her hair and pulls her face closer to his, or at least as far as the twine will allow. She is too weak to struggle and can barely make out what is going on. "You know what, I want you alert and awake for this." He brings mouth closer to her ear. "Here's a little shot I'm sure you'll enjoy." Vaguely, the young woman feels a sharp object prick her arm. Within 10 minutes she is fully aware, her wounds mostly healed, and struggling like hell. "What the hell was that you bastard?" Dauragon chuckles. "Just some bionoid technology." He slowly moves on top of her. "To make you fully aware." To emphasize this, he pushes his groin into hers. He still has her hair in an iron grip, which he probably broke once to administer the shot. Her scalp feels moist, she probably is bleeding. Vixen tosses her head to the right, not wanting to see what is happening to her. Then getting an idea, she bring her leg up with as much force as she can, aiming the blow between his legs, as far as the twine allowed her. He strikes her hard across the head, she tastes blood and a new pain is born on her tongue. "Ah, dammit!" She curses, spitting. "Lie still or I will kill you much more slowly than planned." Vixen spits red into his face. "Then I die for the Vermilions, you half baked bastard." He snaps her arm. Vixen tries hard to not show pain. "Oh get it over with already!" She taunts. "I'd much rather put you through hell. I could tell you didn't enjoy last night, but you did a nice job, I'll admit." Vixen bites his shoulder hard, she tastes even more blood in her mouth. Showing no mercy in shoving her neck back, he restrains her head. "Better, no? Now where were we?" Now completely defenseless, she just lies back, thinking about escaping her bonds and strangling him. He goes in slowly, most likely savoring every moment of Vixen being shoved even more off the cliff of insanity. He is sure he as snapped her when she begins to laugh. "What." He asks, "is so funny?" She laughs harder. 'The only reason you're doing this is because you can't get a woman." He snaps her other wrist. "Oh stop that!' She says angrily, ignoring the fiery lines of agony shooting up her arms, back, neck and vagina. "Try something else. If this is supposed to be a slow painful death, it ain't working." Laughing he continues to push in. Vixen gives up fighting after four more hours of this. Rebels don't cry, rebels don't cry, rebels don't cry, rebels don't cry Madly she concentrates on what she was taught, but eventually loses all contact with the sensible part of her mind. "Give up." She murmurs, not knowing if she's speaking to him or herself. She loses consciousness, but is revived. Finally he dresses and leaves her tied up, and locks the door. Vixen tries madly to struggle out of the binds, but only strikes blood on her arms from the spikes on the wire. Finally, she snaps the wires on her hands, and cuts the skin there even more untying her neck and legs. She gets dressed and searches for a way out of the room, finally seeing the elegant window. He left it locked, using a key. Biting her lip, she realizes what she has to do. There are no heavy objects, and she nearly gives up, looking down out the window, seeing the long distance to the ground. Vixen takes a running start and dives through the glass, shattering it easily. She falls, rolls off the second floor roof then lands on the first floor roof and falls to the ground. She hears something snap as she lands and tastes much blood in her mouth. "Vix? You okay? What happened?" She opens her eyes and looks away. Kat stands by her. "I failed. Leave me alone." Vixen says bitterly, turning away from her, aware now she is at the base in her bed. She reaches for her knife for security, but remembers she doesn't have it anymore. "Kou." She murmurs, closing her eyes. "What's that?" Kat asks, pushing Vixen's bloodied hair out of her eyes. She makes no response. "Alright, how is she?" Vixen looks to the left. "I don't know. Bad I guess. I'll leave you two alone." Kat leaves the room. "You're lucky to be alive." Kou says, casting her wrist. "The skin on your head is torn, but it's healing fine. There isn't that much blood, I don't see any infection." Vixen lies flat. "I'll be still this time." She says groggily. "What?" She turns away from him. "How did your wrist sprain?" He asks setting the cast and gently tying it. "He did it to stop me from insulting him." She says dryly. "You're in bad shape, but at least you're alive." Vixen blows hair out of her eyes. "I'd rather be dead. I failed." She says bitterly. "Don't say that." He tells her, tilting her face to his. Vixen closes her eyes. "Why do you care?" She asks on the verge of tears. He sighs. "Vix, I examined you. I figured it out." Vixen shakes her head. "I didn't kill the sonofabitch, I deserved it." She says, turning away, but not for long. She bursts into sobs. "H-how do you feel about me?" She asks, not caring how hysterical she is. "Will you stay with me? Please? Last night, all I could think about was you how I'd much rather be with you than with-" "Breathe." He tells her, stroking her hair. She takes several deep breaths and buries her face in her hands. He pulls her close to him. "Breathe Vixen. You don't know what you're saying. Come on, cry it out and breathe." The now broken rebellion leader sobs into his shoulder. "I haven't cried in such a long time." She says softly, lying slack against him. "Well you are now Vixen. It doesn't show weakness. No one will hold it against you, after what you were put through." She runs her fingers though his hair. 'I love you." She says softly, still staying in her current position. Somewhat shocked, he holds her tighter to him. "Just wait until you're better, then we'll-"Vixen looks up at him. "I know what I said, Kou, and I meant it. I love you." She says in an all too serious tone. "You need to rest, Vixen. It's over, remember that." He gets up and attempts to leave. Vixen takes his hand. "Don't leave me. Please, don't. At least until I fall asleep." She begs, her eyes wet with tears and her lower lip trembling. She's really been broken. I'll do my best to take care of her. "Alright. If that's what you want." He squeezes her hand and sits down. After her breathing slows he leans over close to her ear. "I love you too." He says, and kisses her lightly, as not to wake her. "So you believe me?" She says, her voice weakened by fatigue. "Yeah." He responds, stroking her hair, moving a loose strand away from her twitching nose. "Am I keeping you up?" He asks her. She shrugs. "I don't care either way." He kisses her cheek. "I should let you get some sleep. Goodnight." He pulls his hand away from hers and leaves the room. Vixen feels no pain the next morning. She reaches up with her hand for a painful cut by her temple, but felt nothing but smooth skin. Astounded, she looks down to see that three scrapes on her leg, all open the night before are now closed over with no scars, nothing but strangely soft skin marks anything was there. She puts almost all her weight on her wrist, but feels no pain. Unwrapping the wound, she notices that the area is no longer puffy and discolored. "I can't believe this." She mutters, pulling clothes on. She brushes her hair and leaves the room, going to the shower. "Vixen?" She turns around. "Shouldn't you be resting?" Kou asks her once she is out. 'I feel a lot better." She explains walks over to him and attempts to kiss him. He takes her face in his hands before she can and studies her temple. "Wasn't there a-?' He asks. "Yeah. All of them are gone." He checks her neck and shoulders, finding no marks there. "Were you injected with anything?" He asks. She nods. "Twice." Kou checks for another mark and doesn't find it. "Bionoid technology. You were healed fast, too." He says. She nods. "Yeah.That's good." Vixen turns around and starts walking back to her room, looking down. "Vixen?" He asks, following her. What's up?" He hugs her from behind, holding her close to him. She closes her eyes. "This'll sound stupid coming from me." He kisses her cheek. "What?" Vixen hesitates before speaking. "I love you so much. I want to make love to you. Call it folly, but this is how I feel. I'm afraid to do something I want to do. How sad is that?" He rests his chin against the top of her head in thought. "Not at all. Post traumatic stress, Vixen." He explains. She laughs, but her voice is tearful. "Can we try? If it doesn't go well we can just-" He shakes his head. "If I hurt you in any way I won't be able to forgive myself." He tells her honestly. "Please?" she asks. "I'd rather die than not be able to decontaminate myself." Vixen says. He sighs. "Fine. But if you want me to stop-" She nods. "I'll tell you if it-if it hurts. I promise." Both walk toward the oversized room and get down on Vixen's bed. They touch lips and run their fingers though each other's hair but do not go much farther. "Vixen!" Kale stands at the door, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Dan wants to see you. She's hurt bad. I don't know why, but she was getting so much better too." Vixen pulls away from Kou and runs to Daniella's room. "Dan!" She covers her mouth when she sees how much blood there is on the ground by Daniella's chair. It gushes out of the still- healing gash so quickly, it is impossible to stop. "I.did it myself." Daniella says, everyone now noticing the new deepness of the slash and the letter opener clenched tightly in her hand. All the rebels stand at the door. Daniella's normally perfect chestnut hair falls in waves to her lower back damp with perspiration. Vixen holds her sister close to her, not caring that her clothes are getting soaked in her blood. "Why, Dan?" Vixen asks in a small voice, crying into Daniella's hair. "I can't live like this anymore, Vixen. I feel too lazy. Hey, listen to me." She says, and Vixen nods. "You're not really my sister by blood, but that's the only difference. You're a-" She coughs and more blood splatters the ground. "What am I, Dan?" Vixen asks, urging Daniella to continue. "There was a bomb blast, when you were only six years old. It killed my parents too, but I found you on the street crying. You.you had this locket." Daniella coughs and stops speaking. "Dan?" Vixen asks hoarsely, knowing she cannot answer her. She takes up her sister's clenched fist and gently pries a silver chain from her palm. Daniella is not breathing at all, she stares lifelessly at the walls. Tears streaming down her own face, Vixen gently closes Daniella's eyes and bursts into hysterical sobs. "Why? Why? Oh, I get it! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I ever joined the Vermilions I-" Vixen cries against her sister's chest. Kou touches her shoulder. "Leave me be." She says bitterly. "I understand. Let me know if you need me." Vixen nods as he leaves the room. Hours pass until Vixen finally sees everyone in the main room. She is wearing the locket Daniella gave her, and her eyes are red and puffy. "Um, guys?" She asks, wringing her hands. All look up at her expectantly. "I-have something to confess. All this time, when we were bombing buildings and cursing the master, your vice leader was a Mikado herself. I'm sorry, even I didn't know. I'm the current master's cousin on the Mikado side." She says mournfully. "But that doesn't mean I don't resent Mikado!" She says with such rage everyone flinches. "I will lead us Vermilions to victory! We will demolish Mikado!" Vixen says with resolve and tears the locket off from her neck. It falls to the ground and Vixen shakes her head. "Tomorrow we bury Daniella. I already took care of everything. We should get some rest." Vixen says, and walks back to her room clutching her arm, Kou following her. She lies down on her bed, folding her knees under her chin. "I don't know what to do." She says in a small voice. "I feel lost, lost and cursed." She begins to shiver. Kou pulls a blanket over her shoulders and lies down next to her. "Cold?" He asks. She nods and wraps her arms around herself. Silently he pulls her into his arms, and kisses off the tears streaming down her face. "Not alone." He corrects. Vixen turns around and burrows her face against his chest, crushing his hand in hers. "Relax." He says, and massages her palm. The tension decreases and she nearly lets go but does not. Instead, she leans up and kisses him. The kiss is salty, for her tears had fallen onto her lips. Neither care, and Vixen starts to pull off his shirt. 'You sure?" He asks. "At least once." Vixen says, kissing him again, mostly for silence. Both strip and kiss with more force, Vixen massaging his tongue with hers. Both pull off each other's clothes and hold on to each other tightly, not speaking or moving save to move in or kiss. They make passionate love until both are too tired to move.  
  
Vixen wakes up. She dresses quickly and combs through her hair nervously, and then leans over to Kou. "I'm so sorry." She whispers, kissing his neck. He does not awaken. Vixen lifts a notepad and pen, leans back and starts to write. She writes five pages and tears them up for they are soaked in her own tears. Finally satisfied she tears it off and folds it carefully. "I love you." She murmurs and slips out of bed pinning a pendant around her neck. The water in the bathtub is ice cold, unlike the steaming hot it was hours ago. She nearly cries out getting into it but doesn't. She had sworn to herself that what she had just said would be the last thing that ever came out of her mouth. In her right hand is the letter opener that Daniella used to gore her side. Her blood still taints it. Vixen positions the tip at the vein on her ankle, and drives. The blood instantly comes gushing and flows into the water, coloring it red. She does it again, this time at her stomach, flank, breasts, and finally her wrists, painting her white slip and the water crimson. The letter opener falls from her hand. Light wakes Kou the next morning. He rolls over to see Vixen but she is not there. Thinking she must be in the shower he leaves the room heading for the bathroom. The door is open, so he walks in himself. Everything inside of him dies at once as his heart stops seeing what is beyond the threshold. Vixen, in the tub, soaked in her own blood and her skin a ghastly pale, He pulls her out of the frigid water, knowing what happened but refusing to believe it. He pinches himself in the arm, so hard blood flows but he does not awake with Vixen lying beside him. She is dead. Never again will he see her radiant smile or face brightened with joy. Never will she laugh at his sarcasm or punch him in the stomach, never will she hit Jack on the head or have a lengthy conversation with Kat. Never again will he hold her close to him, kiss her, touch her, feel the pleasures of her slender body. Everything about her is gone, like her blood streaming down the tub to be lost in the cracks of the tiles. His sorrow breaks free and he bursts into hysterical sobs. His sorrow must not weigh down on his shoulders alone. The rest of the resistance must know. Slowly he pulls himself away from her. It is then that he notices the piece of paper taped to the mirror. He tears it off and immediately begins to read.  
  
I know you will find this first Kou. That is why this letter is written mainly to you my love. Please don't blame yourself. It really wasn't your fault. Writing this and watching you sleep hurts so much because I know how much it will hurt you finding me dead. I don't want to hurt you, and that is what torments me so deeply inside of myself. Please, I have a few things to say to you, to explain why I have committed this atrocious crime and others, about you Vermilions and us. What Daniella told me before she died was that I am a Mikado. I cannot live with that. My veins carry accursed blood, and I want to bleed it dry until I am nothing but myself. I know how strange that sounds but that is the way I feel. I want to wake you up so badly and kiss you until I can't breathe but.it will be harder that way. I'll keep my goodbye short. Vermilions cannot fail. You must overthrow the cooperation-wait strike that. What reason do I have in saying that? It is all your decision. I want you all to be happy. Forget me. I'm not good enough to remember. Kou, please, for my sake find happiness. Everyone find happiness. Vermilions may die but the spirit will not. Goodbye everyone, and remember what I said. Kou, this is not your fault, it is none of your faults. I love you all. Vixen  
  
  
  
He folds the letter and walks out to meet the rest of the resistance, trying hard to fight the tears. Kat sits down in a corner, shaking her head. Kale is numb, not even aware that there are tears running down her cheeks. Jack massages his forehead, holding Kat close to him. Silence pollutes the air. No one can find words, everyone is too shocked to speak. "It's over. We can't do this without Vixen and Daniella." Kat says in a defeated tone. Everyone silently agrees. Jack gets up. "I won't forget them." He says, pulling out a crate. "Neither will I." Kat agrees, and Kale also gets up. Jack pockets a picture. "I'm taking this one." He says, holding it up. It is of both Vixen and Daniella, smiling and looking like sisters. Kat picks up a picture of Vixen. "I got this one.' She says immediately. Vixen has longer hair in this picture, she's writing something on the table. He empties the crate. Each resistance member takes one picture, except for Kou. All of the images they are taking, they were taken before he met her. There has to be some picture that was taken when e did know her.there is a picture that was taken after they met. The pictures Jack snapped of Vixen in her wedding dress before she left to meet her cruel fate. He wanted no memories of that day, even though she did look beautiful in the picture. "You might want this one." Jack says, handing him a framed photograph. It is dated to yesterday. Vixen is alone in the snapshot, but she looks completely unlike her mood all that day. Her smile does not look forced in the least. 'Look on the back." Jack says. Kou removes the picture from the frame and tuns it over. To Kou Is this really necessary? Take it but promise me that you'll get another girl someday and pack this out of sight in some old box under your bed. -I love you Vixen He puts it in his pocket. "Go." Jack says. "We're coming with you though." Kale adds. They close off the base. Jack spray paints an X over the bird. RIP He writes, and all four emerge from underground. Kou shakes his head, wondering if the pain in his heart would ever diminish.  
  
Two days later, he lies on his back in bed, staring at Vixen's pretty face in the photograph. It is what he has been doing ever since he lost contact with the other Vermilions, just staring at Vixen and remembering. He wondered if ever he would get himself together. If he had just woken up he could have stopped her, could have saved her life. He was sure of it, feeling like he killed her himself. Sighing he places the frame on his bed. But wait. A white piece of paper juts out from the bottom. There were two, not one pieces of cardboard behind the picture. He didn't think to look between them. He unfolds the paper and finds another note there.  
  
Kou You can tell how well I planned this, huh? I'm so sorry. This is my final letter, but I want to etch two things onto your mind. I want you to be happy. My death will be in vain if you aren't happy. I don't care how, but do it in a way that isn't sending your life downhill. Two is that it wasn't your fault, I promise. It was the fault of my own and the fault of things beyond us. I'm sorry for ruining everything; I'm sorry for doing this, making you have to remember me. I probably wounded your heart so badly and you don't know how much that hurts me. Let some other woman that doesn't remind you of me scar it over and heal it. You don't know how important it is for me for you to move on. I know it's hard, I know it will take time but you can do it. The greatest sin I've ever committed is doing this to you, not my self-murder. I deserve the harshest punishment for that. I'll end this with do not make the same mistake I've made. Devote yourself to someone else, perhaps the gift I have left for you will help. Myself, well sort of. If you wish conceive a child with what I left in a freezer at the base. It could ease your pain. Love is a gift beyond our small selves, we should use it, not waste it. Goodbye Kou, I loved you with everything I possessed. Vixen Reno  
  
No, this is impossible. Another goodbye, the possibility of raising a child with Vixen's blood? Kou just sits for the rest of the day as he thinks, staring out the window, tears streaming down his cheeks as the rain flows down the glass. To be continued. 


End file.
